Helen Rosenfeld
Asheesh and Helen are married
My Story
I was born in Mumbai, India, raised in Toronto, Canada, and went to university in the US (Penn) and the UK (Oxford). I now live in the Boston area with my wife, Helen, and two sons, Alexander and Eliot. The Rising Class project is clever and I'm pleased to support it. Like many other immigrants and first generation citizens, I am grateful to my parents for sacrifices they made to give me access to a great education. I've had many mentors along the way in supporting my education, my entrepreneurial projects, and my business endeavors. Financial investments and the encouragement of mentors have been critical to commercial successes in recent years, but none of this would have been possible without knowing how to make the best of the mentor-protege relationship. I'm hopeful that the Rising Class project will shed light on the importance of social capital and memorialize the stories of people from all walks of life who have risen with the support of others.
When you were growing up, what was your dream job?
When I was young, I wanted to work in government - particularly for the United Nations. I studied Development Economics in graduate school and ended up working for the World Bank. In the first few weeks, I realized that this was not my dream job after all!
Who in your life has helped you to rise?
My high school was very influential in my development. I have kept in touch with my old teachers and classmates, even though we all live in different places. Looking back, I think switching schools in tenth grade was a critical turning point in my life and helped me find new mentors and raised my own expectations for the future.